Key Takeaways
- Laci’s parents divorced when she was young.
- Laci and her unborn son, Connor, were buried at Burwood Cemetery on August 30, 2003.
- On March 16, 2005, the court sentenced Scott Peterson to d*ath by lethal injection, following the jury’s recommendation for the d*ath penalty.
Laci Peterson, an American woman tragically k*lled by her husband, Scott Lee Peterson, was of a multiracial ethnic background.
Hailing from Modesto, California, USA, Laci was born on May 4, 1975, and held American nationality.
The surname “Rocha” hints at a heritage rooted in Portuguese and Galician ethnic backgrounds. Her father is of Portuguese ethnicity, while the ethnic details of her mother are yet to unfold.
The fusion of her ethnic roots forms Laci Peterson’s multiracial identity, encompassing diverse cultural influences that are a significant aspect of her family history.
The cultural values passed down from her father could have been instrumental in shaping her character and the relationships she nurtured throughout her life.
In her family, Laci Peterson was the younger of two children born to Sharon (née Anderson) and Dennis Robert Rocha.
At a young age, Laci and her brother, Brent (born in 1971), witnessed their parents’ divorce.
Sharon, Laci’s mother, later entered a long-term relationship with Ron Grantski, who helped raise the children starting when Laci was two years old.
In 2006, Sharon released “For Laci: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, and Justice”, a biography and memoir about Laci’s life and her heartbreaking d*ath.
Laci’s father, Dennis Rocha, passed away on December 9, 2018, at the age of 72, while her stepfather, Ron Grantski, died in his sleep at his Modesto home on April 8, 2018, at the age of 71.
Netflix Revisits Scott Peterson’s 20-Year-Old Conviction
This November 2024 marks two decades since Scott Peterson was found guilty of m*rdering his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn child, Connor.
On August 30, 2003, Laci and Conner were laid to rest in Burwood Cemetery.
Released on August 14, 2024, “American Murder: Laci Peterson” explores Scott Peterson’s case following his wife Laci’s disappearance from their Modesto home on Christmas Eve 2002.
The Netflix series highlights interviews with detectives, lawyers, and jurors from Peterson’s trial, along with an interview with Amber Frey, Peterson’s secret partner.
On December 24, 2002, Laci’s stepfather and Scott reported her missing to the police. At the time Laci went missing, she was seven-and-a-half months pregnant, expecting to give birth on February 10, 2003.
A few days after the bodies of a woman and fetus were recovered from San Francisco Bay, DNA results matched Laci Peterson and her unborn son. Following this, Scott was taken into custody on April 18, 2003.
On April 21, 2003, Scott entered a plea of not guilty to charges of first-degree m*rder of his wife and second-degree m*rder of their unborn son.
His trial, which lasted from June 1, 2004, to November 3, 2004, spanned five months. He was found guilty of both m*rder charges on November 12, 2004.
He was then sentenced to d*ath by lethal injection on March 16, 2005, after the jury unanimously recommended the d*ath penalty several months prior.
On July 5, 2012, Peterson’s attorney filed an appeal against his conviction, claiming he did not receive a fair trial.
On August 24, 2020, the California Supreme Court overturned Scott Peterson’s d*ath penalty sentence but affirmed his conviction.
Later, on December 8, 2021, Judge Anne-Christine Massullo re-sentenced Scott to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
A judge refused his new trial request on December 20, 2022. On January 18, 2024, the Los Angeles Innocence Project sought court orders for new DNA testing and an investigation into additional evidence in Scott Peterson’s case.
On April 23, 2024, the prosecution pushed back against the new DNA testing request, calling it “unnecessary” and pointing out Scott Peterson’s lies about his wife’s m*rder, as well as the DNA tests conducted in 2013 and 2019.
Scott and Laci dated for two years before tying the knot in 1997 at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Amy Rocha is the half-sister of Laci Peterson.
- She graduated from Thomas Downey High School and then attended California Polytechnic State University, majoring in ornamental horticulture.
- Laci’s father, Dennis, was a member of the US Marine Corps Reserves and operated a dairy for several decades before retiring.
